Schools

Sandy Closes Schools for a Week

West Essex, Caldwell-West Caldwell closed on Friday.

Students in the Caldwells will have missed at least a full week of school due to widespread power outages caused by Hurricane Sandy.

All public schools will remain closed Friday, the fifth day in a row, while towns wait for PSE&G crews to repair downed power lines so power could be restored and roads may be reopened. 

Caldwell-West Caldwell Schools, West Essex Regional Schools and North Caldwell Schools have all announced that they will remain closed on Friday, Nov. 1. Mount St. Dominic Academy and Caldwell College plan to re-open on Monday until further notice.

Find out what's happening in Caldwellswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The annual Teacher's Convention in Atlantic City has been canceled for the first time in its history, leaving open the possibility that schools may open and days that were scheduled to be closed for the convention.

Wilson and Washington elementary schools in West Caldwell both regained power Tuesday night, according to a spokesperson for the Caldwell-West Caldwell district.

Find out what's happening in Caldwellswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

As of Thursday, Lincoln School had some power restored. The three other schools in the district—Jefferson Elementary School, Grover Cleveland Middle School and James Caldwell High School—were still without power Thursday.

Trees down near Lincoln and Jefferson made it dangerous to access the schools. 

The Caldwell-West Caldwell district built in a fourth snow day for the 2012-2013 school year, the district reported. With all the days used before the start of winter, it's possible the district may have to shorten spring break.

The district has been calling parents through the new Honeywell emergency alert system but with the majority of homes without power it is not clear that the messages are being received. 

The West Essex Essex Regional Board of Education meeting rescheduled for Nov. 1 has been moved to Monday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m. 

The James Caldwell High School football game against Irvington scheduled for Saturday has been postponed until Thursday, Nov. 8.

Gov. Chris Christie has told the state to postpone Halloween until Monday, Nov. 5, a directive Caldwell, North Caldwell and West Caldwell are following.


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